Antirattle dovetail for doors



Jan.12, 1932. R. e. MOORE ANTIRATTLE DOVETAIL FOR DOORS Filed May 12, 1930 INVEVNTOR. R YMUNIJ BMUUR;

ATTORNEY.

' UNITED STATES rrATENT YOYF I EJ Patented Jan. 12,1932

naymonn c MOORE, or fimrnenronnconnncrrcur, 'assrenor. rof rn'n-"sas'srcx' CQMPANY, or izmnenronr, oonnnoricur, ajconronarron or CONNECTICUT AnTmArTLn novn'rnrr. For. noons I Application fi1ed'May 12, 1930. Serial No. 451,541. a i

l V The present-invention relates to self-adjustthe usual vibrations and rattles, .anyjgreating anti-rattle dovetails, particularly for automobile doors, an object being to: provide a device ,of this character which will prevent the rattle usually resulting-from the vibrating andweavingof the door, effectually retaining the same in a substantially. fixed vertical position, whileat the same time permitting vertical yielding movement under eX- cessive shock or impact, so that while the door is eifectually supported and retainedagainst shockthat'might. causebreakage or loosening of the parts is compensated for and absorbed. "It is particularly proposedto provide a devicein which a socket memberz is provided with a. laterally fixedsupporting elementv adapted to haveyieldingvertical movement under excessive shock or impact but which. willanormally be substantially rigid, and an opposed laterally movable resiliently supported element, said elements 1 adapted to receive a-wedge member between them, the laterally fixed element determining the normalvertical position of the door, while the laterally movable element efiectually pre vents rattles. 'With the above and other objectsinview, embodiments. of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings,- and these em bodiments will be hereinafter more fully described with reference thereto, andthe invention will be finally pointed outzin the'claims. "In the drawings:. 7 V

Fig. 1 is aperspective view; of the outer side of the dovetail socket, according toithe present. embodiment of the invention, and which is shown mounted on the door frame. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the end of thefdoor showing the wedge member employed mounted thereon, the door being shown in dotted lines while the wedge memher is shown in full lines.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the socket.

member with the cover plate removed.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the ipcket member taken along the line 44 of ig. 3. v

Fig. 5 is an elevation of the outer side of the wedge member.

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the socket member and showing the wedge member, in cross-section, engagedtherein .--Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings."

leferringtothe drawings, the device, ac-

cording to the present embodiment off the invention, comprises a socket member adapts ed tobe secured to the door frame 10 .within a cut-out recess 11, and comprising of a-casing 12 of rectangular form, open at its forward side, and-provided with arectangular opening 13 in its outer end,;that is, in the end 7 opposed to the closing movement of the door.

A pair ofopposed block members 14am 15, are disposed within the casing, the lower block 15 having a flat upper face 16. rounded at its forward edge, as at 17, and being fixed against lateraljmovement through. abutment of its ends withthe end walls of the casing. A series of relatively strong springs 18 en gaged with the lower-wall of, the casing are disposed inf sockets 19 in the under surface of the block and pressit upwardly against flanges 20 and 21 bent from the end walls of the casing, shoulders 22 and 23 being formed upon the end of the blocks for abutting said flanges. 'Thesprings 18 are ofsuch strength that they will normally support the weight of the door in a fixed vertical position, and will only yield under eXcesssh Ckthat might tend to break or loosenfthe parts,

The upper block 14:, has an inclined face converging inwardly with respect to the flat face of the lower block, and is laterally mov vable :in, the casing, being normally spaced from the rear wall and pressed against the front wall through the action of a coil spring 25 positioned upon a 'lug 26, struck from the inner end wall of thecasing, and engaged in an opening 27gon the inner end of the block. The spring 25 is weaker than the springs 18, so that its action is not effected except under excessive shock or impact. 1 I I p A cover plate 28 is secured upon-the open side of the casing by means of swedged-over lugs 29 formed upon the edge ofthecasing and engaged in slots 30in theplate, the plates extending. above-and below the casing and being provided with holes 31 for attaching the same to the door frame by means of screws 32. An opening 33 is provided in the plate having its forward end registering with the opening 13 in the outer wall of the casing and its edges disposed in such spaced relation to the surfaces of the blocks that the latter at all times project free of the opening.

In order to retain the block 14 against vertical displacement and to guide its lateral movement, horizontal grooves 34 are provided in the front and rear faces, and are engaged by longitudinal ribs 35 pressed from the vertical rear wall of the casing and the cover plate.

The blocks may be of any suitable material, and because of the protection against breakage aiforded by the casing may be of fibre or other suitable squeak-preventing, self-lubricating material.

The wedge member, which is secured to the edge of the door 36, comprises an attaching base 37 having screw holes 38 and a rigid wedge projection 39, havingits upper side inclined to substantially correspond to the inclination of the face of the upper block 1 1, and its lower side flat to engage the flat face of the lower block 15. The entering end of the wedge is rounded, and in closing the door slides over the rounded forward end of the block 15.

The operation is as follows hen the door is in open position the block 14 is projected forwardly against the outer wall of the casing, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3. As the door is closed the wedge member 39 is engaged between the blocks, first engaging the rounded end of the lower blocks 14, the door being vertically positioned by the flat surface of said block, the complete closure of the door causing the upper block to move laterally against the pressure of the spring, thereby holding the blocks and the wedge member in snug relation. The inclination of the engaging surfaces of the wedge and the upper block is such that vertical pressure will not displace the block 15 and cause vibration. The block 14; supports the weight of the door and is not effected by ordinary vibration and weaving, but under any excessive shock or impact the lower block will yield, thus relieving the parts from-such pressure as might otherwise break or loosen them.

The door is provided with the usual latch, not shown, which engages behind a striker on the door frame, and the present device is such that it permits the door to close sufficiently to allow the latch to operate, and thereupon exerts an outward pressure on the may be made therein within the spirit and scope thereof, as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In an anti-rattledevice for doors, a

. socket member, and a wedge member adapted to be engaged therewith, said socket member comprising opposed wedge engaging 'elements, one of said elements being vertically yieldable and confined against lateral movement, the other of said elements adapted to be moved laterally through engagement of said wedge member therewith.

2. In an anti-rattle device for doors, a socket member, and a wedge member adapted to be engaged therewith, said socket member comprising opposed wedge engaging elements, one of said elements being laterally yieldable through engagement of said wedge member, the other of said elements being confined against lateral movement and vertically yieldable under relatively greater pressure than required to move said laterally yieldable element.

3. In. an anti-rattle device for doors, a' socket member, and a wedge member adapted to be engaged therewith, said socket member comprising opposed wedge engaging elements, one of said elements being vertically movable and having a supporting surface for engagement by said wedge member arranged substantially parallel to the path of engaging movement of said wedge member and said socket, the other of said elements adapted to be moved laterally through engagement of said wedge member therewith.

4. In an anti-rattle device for doors, a socket member, and a wedge member adapted to be engaged therewith, said socket member comprising opposed wedge engaging elements, one of said elements being vertically movable and having a supporting surface for engagement by said wedge member arranged substantially parallel to the path of engaging movement of said wedge member and said socket, the other of said elements having an inclined surface and adapted to be moved laterally through engagement of said wedge member therewith.

Signed at Bridgeport, countyof Fairfield, and State of Connecticut, this 26th day of April, 1930. w

RAYMOND G. MOORE.

door to force the latch bolt tightly against the striker.

I have illustrated and described a preferred and satisfactory embodiment of the invention, but it will be obvious that changes lit) 

